Mailing piece



Feb. 16, 1954 K 5 L Y ET AL 2,669,464

MAILING PIECE Filed May 6, 1950 FIRM NAME ADDRESS cusmmsn's' NAME AND L ADDRESS JULYI STATEMENT JULY CHARGES FIG.2 +3 18,2! I FIG-4 TEAR ALONG LlNE TC OPEN I u F35 S AM 23 I 5i 5 -B E A N J V ADDRESS .0 34 35 5; I 3| 3? KENNETH S. LAY BERNADINE F. LA Y ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 16, 1954 MAILING PIECE Kenneth S. Lay and Bernadine F. Lay, St. Louis, Mo.

Application May 6, 1950, Serial No. 160,436

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to mailing pieces and refers more particularly to the type of piece comprising a message sheet which is folded to constitute an envelope, and in which the name and address on the message sheet serves as the name and address of the envelope by being viewed through an opening in the envelope.

A disadvantage of pieces of this type is that previous embodiments have taken involved shapes, requiring considerable mechanical aptitude for their proper use. As a result, conventional envelopes have remained in general use, even to the extent of containing another conventional envelope along with the message, the second envelope to be used for replying.

An object of the present invention is the pro vision of a message sheet which will serve as its own envelope and also as its own return envelope.

A further object is that the same writing will serve as the name and address of the message sheet and of the envelope.

Another object is that, when being used as a return envelope, the sheet may be totally closed so as to safely contain enclosed matter.

Still another object is to provide a duplicate of the message which will be made at the same time as the original so that the addressee may retain the original, this duplicate appearing on a portion of the message sheet which constitutes the return envelope, thus insuring its return to the addressor to assist in accounting procedures.

Another and further object is that the piece be openable by tearing along a clearly indicated line both ends of which are located at an edge of the envelope, and that the mode of use of the piece be in all other respects convenient and unmistakably obvious.

Yet another object is the provision of a substantially closed space for loose sheets or other material to be contained in the mailing piece without obscuring the view of the address.

An outstanding object is the provision of a mailing piece having all of the above advantages and which may be delivered by the manufacture thereof in folded and permanently sealed condition, being capable of receiving original and duplicate impressions of the name and address and of the message in such folded and permanently sealed condition, and without thereafter disclosing the message while in transit to the addressee.

In accomplishing the objects of the present invention a message sheet is provided formed with fold lines dividing it into substantially equal central and lower portions, the upper portion being a flap for folding in between the central portion which becomes the back of the envelope and the lower portion which becomes the front of the envelope. The lower portion has a window opening through which the name and address may be read from the flap, and the rear surface of the flap is coated with carbon so that a dupli cate name, address and message is transferred to the central, or back, portion, while the lower or front portion has a portion of its rear surface similarly coated for transfer of the message to the enclosure flap portion.

The sheet is further formed with lines of perforations located so as to be in registry when the sheet is folded, and to form a single continuous line beginning and ending on the same edge of the sealed envelope. Tearing of the envelope to open it is thus facilitated and tearing completely along the line results not only in opening the envelope into a sheet comprising the central and lower portions, but also results in detaching the enclosure fiap portion.

It is understood that the portions of the envelope located outside the lines of perforations were adhered together to constitute the envelope. Adhesive means located inside the lines of perforations are now available to seal the envelope for its return trip.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter be pointed out. The invention accordingly consists in the fea tures of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts which will be exemp1ifled in the constructions hereinafter described. In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the message sheet before folding into envelope form.

Figure 2 is a front plan view of the folded and sealed envelope constituted from the message sheet.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a corresponding View of the sheet folded to constitute a return envelope.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the message sheet i8 is divided by the laterally ex tending fold lines H, 12 into the substantially equal upper enclosure flap portion 13, central envelope back portion I4 and lower envelope front portion [5. Lateral lines 15, ii, iii of perforations and longitudinal lines I9, 20 of perforations are located was to overlie one an'-' other in register when sheet if) is folded along lines H and I2, so as to constitute a continuous tear line 2|, both of whose ends are located on the lower. boundary of the envelope between the front and back portions 15, M, respectively of the envelope, as clearly shown in Figure 2. It is considered important that the tear line 2! begins and ends on a boundary or edge of the envelope, in order to facilitate tearing, this being much more convenient than tear lines not so located and in which the commencement of the tearing operation must be carefully performed in order not to tear improperly.

An adhesive coating 22 is applied to the surface of sheet iii outside the lines of perforations i1, l8, i9, 23 and also on the rear surface thereof, not illustrated in Figure 1, between fold line H and perforated line it. The adhesive between lines H and ll may be omitted at the option of the manufacturer, as the envelope will be sealed whether or not it is present. An additional coating of adhesive material 23 is applied inside the lines :1, is, it and adjacent thereto on central back portion is only. It is contemplated that in some applications of the invention, for instance when the piece is is used by professional offices or others using relatively small quantities of the piece ill, the coating 22 will be of the self sealing type, for instance a pressure sensitive, rubber content coating which seals to a similar coating upon contact, while the coating 23 will in all cases be of a type requiring further treatment before becoming operative, for instance glue, mucilage or gum which requires moistening in or er to seal on contact.

The surface of upper flap enclosure portion 13 illustrated in Figure 1 will hereafter be referred to as the rear surface, as the opposite surface is the one which receives the addressees name and address and the message, the latter being illustrated as a bill or statement constituted by the written material, the duplicate impression of which appears on central envelope back portion it below the addressees or customers name and address. Similarly, the surface of lower envelope front portion I illustrated in Figure 1 will be referred to .as the rear surface of said portion I5. Sair rear surfaces of portions l3 and I5 comprise the portions 24, 25, 2t coated with pressure sensitive transfer material such as carbon black or lamp black, for transferring physically written impressions to an underlying surface. Thus the original impression 2'! of the customers name and address is transferred by coating 2!; as at 28, the portion l3 first having been folded down over portion 14.

The message, the duplicate impression of which appears at 29, may either be typed on the front face of portion I3 and transferred by coating 25 to portion I l as at 29, or alternatively the envelope may be completely folded and sealed at the factory and delivered to the first user as in Figure 2, in which case the name and address can be impressed through opening 39 in portion 55 as at 21, directly onto the front face of portion it, transferring to portion [4 as at 28. It is envisaged that this operation can be done by means of automatic addressing machinery employing address plates, and the addressed envelopes conveyed to other operators for typing of the typed portion of the message.

The printed corner guides 3i on the front surface of portion l5 permit the message typist to impress the digits of the message at the proper location, the impression being transferred by coating 26 to porton l3 and by coating 25 to portion M as illustrated at 29. It not being desirable that the message appear on the outside of the envelope, a typewriter with clean type bars and no ribbon may be used for the initial impression, or if visual verification of the message transferred is desired, a detachable flap 32 may be sea cured to the front surface of portion i5 in register with portion 26 by means of the gummed strip 33 and then torn off along the perforated line 34 and discarded.

The lower front envelope portion l5 comprises the closing flap 35, the latter comprising the longitudinal border portion 36 extending adjacent window opening 30, flap 35 further being of a size to extend beyond opening 30 in all directions so as to close same when folded over opening 30 as in Figure 4, and still leave opening 30 open when desired as in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

In operation, the name and address and message is impressed as described above either before or after sealing of the envelope by means of adhesive 22, and the piece is mailed.

Upon receipt the piece is torn along tear line H as described and the portions located outside tear line 2| are discarded. Portion [3 has been automatically detached by the tearing and is retained. for the customers records. Adhesive 23 is then moistened, also adhesive 3'! of closing flap 35, flap 35 being sealed over opening 30 to close same while adhesive 23 seals the portions Hi, Is together to constitute a totally closed return envelope which will hold an enclosure such as a check in payment of the statement comprised in the message.

Certain other advantages are enjoyed by the present invention. The envelope as illustrated in Figure 3 has a space 38 which is totally closed for all practical purposes and may therefore safely contain loose sheets or other material as desired in addition to the duplicate message. Such material, being in back of flap 13, will not obscure the address. If no duplicate message and no enclosed space 38 is desired, the flap i3 is not necessary.

The cost of manufacture of the piece It can be further reduced by having both adhesives 22 and 23 of a gummy nature, since coating 22 can be moistened easily at the factory and sealed without causing coating 23 to adhere, and the same result can be produced by the ordinary secretary or billing clerk by the exercise of moderate care.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use. As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

l. A combined message sheet, envelope and return envelope, comprising a sheet of foldable material, said sheet comprising integrally three substantialiy rectangular portions extending side by side one above the other, the central and lower of said portions comprising adhesive means by which they may be constituted the rear and front portions respectively of an envelope, said lower portion being formed with a window opening and further comprising a flap foldable from a closed positionobscuring said opening to an open position permitting a view through said opening, the upper portion of said sheet when folded down between the said rear and front portions of said envelope blocking the View of said rear portion through said Window opening, said upper portion further being provided with transfer material for transferring impressions to said rear portion, all of said portions comprising lines of perforations parallel to edges of said portions, the lines of perforations of the three portions being in register in the folded condition of the sheet, said perforations as viewed from the outside of said envelope constituting a substantially continuous single line extending in spaced relation to and parallel to three outer boundaries of said envelope and beginning and ending at the fold line between said front and rear portions of said envelope, said fold line forming the fourth outer boundary of said envelope, so that upon opening said envelope by tearing along said line of perforations, the result is an open sheet comprising said front and rear portions and a separate sheet constituted by said upper portion, said front and back portions further comprising additional adhesive means located adjacent and inside said lines of perforations for constituting said front and back portions into a return envelope.

2. In a message sheet according to claim 1, said envelope front portion further having on its inside surface transfer material in register with .i'

said transfer material of said upper portion in the folded condition of said sheet, said envelope front portion further having on its outside surface a detachable flap devoid of transfer material and in register with said two transfer materials, and said upper portion being folded down and said lower portion being folded up and said first mentioned adhesive being adhered so as to constitute said sheet a folded and sealed envelope ready to receive address and message indicia.

3. A combined message sheet, envelope and return envelope, said sheet comprising integrally a substantially rectangular central portion, a lower portion of substantially equal area and connected to said central portion along the lower boundary of the latter, and a third portion connected to said central portion along one of the remaining boundaries of the latter, said central and lower portions comprising adhesive means by which they may be constituted the rear and front portions respectively of an envelope, said lower portion being formed with a window opening and further comprising a flap foldable from a closed position closing said opening to an open position permitting a view through said opening, said third portion when folded over to a position between said rear and front portions of said envelope blocking the view of said rear portion through said window opening, said third portion further being provided with transfer material for transferring impressions to said rear portion, all of said portions comprising lines of perforations parallel to edges of said portions, the lines of perforations of the three portions being in register in the folded condition of the sheet, said perforations as viewed from the outside of said envelope constituting a substantially continuous single line extending in spaced relation to and parallel to three outer boundaries of said envelope and beginning and ending at the fold line between said front and rear portions of said envelope, said fold line forming the fourth outer boundary of said envelope, so that upon opening said envelope by tearing along said line of perforations, the result is an open sheet comprising said front and rear portions and a separate sheet constituted by said third portion, said front and back portions further comprising additional adhesive means located adjacent and inside said lines of perforations for constituting said front and back portions into a return envelope.

4. In a message sheet according to claim 3, said envelope front portion further having on its inside surface transfer material in register with said transfer material of said third portion in the folded condition of said sheet, said envelope front portion further having on its outside surface a detachable flap devoid of transfer material and in register with said two transfer materials, and said third portion being folded in and said lower portion being folded up and said first mentioned adhesive being adhered so as to constitute said sheet a folded and sealed envelope ready to receive address and message indicia.

KENNETH S. LAY. BERNADINE F. LAY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 882,297 Cook Mar. 17, 1908 905,606 Thomas Dec. 1, 1908 1,260,935 Moore Mar. 26, 1918 1,438,122 McCoy Dec. 5, 1922 1,567,875 Swanson Dec. 29, 1925 1,635,278 Kaplan July 12, 1927 1,960,054 Johnson May 22, 1934 2,016,063 White Oct, 1, 1935 2,396,833 DHumy Mar. 19, 1946 2,405,511 Moen Aug. 6, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 405,553 France Nov. 18, 1909 226,938 Switzerland May 15, 1943 

